ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

ASSEMBLY, Nos. 176 and 1544

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

ADOPTED JUNE 3, 1996

Sponsored by Assemblymen GIBSON, DiGAETANO, ROMA, AZZOLINA and WISNIEWSKI

An Act concerning certain deductions from the taxes against the real property of certain veterans who are residents of this State, and for certain surviving spouses, and amending P.L.1963, c.171.

      Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

      1. Section 2 of P.L.1963, c.171 (C:54:4-8.11) is amended to read as follows:

      2. Every person a citizen and resident of this State now or hereafter honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in time of war in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States and a surviving spouse as defined herein, during her widowhood or his widowerhood, and while a resident of this State, shall be entitled, annually, on proper claim being made therefor, to a deduction from the amount of any tax bill for taxes on real or personal property or both in the sum of[$50.00] $100 or if the amount of any such tax shall be less than [$50.00] $100, to a cancellation thereof.

(cf: P.L.1985, c.515, s.7.)

      2. Section 8 of P.L.1963, c. 171 (C.54:4-8.17) is amended to read as follows:

      8. No person shall be allowed a veteran's deduction from the tax assessed against real and personal property of more than [$50.00] $100 in the aggregate in any one year, but a veteran's deduction may be claimed in any taxing district in which the claimant has taxable property and may be apportioned, at the claimant's option, between two or more taxing districts; provided such claims shall not exceed [$50.00] $100 in the aggregate. If a surviving spouse, as herein defined, shall have been honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service in time of war in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, the surviving spouse shall be entitled to a veteran's deduction for each status. The veteran's deductions herein provided shall be in addition to any exemptions now or hereafter provided by any other statute for disabled veterans or surviving spouses, as herein defined, and in addition to any deductions provided under P.L.1963, c.172 (C. 54:4-8.40 et seq.) for senior citizens and the permanently and totally disabled, and certain surviving spouses thereof, to which the claimant is entitled. In addition, a claimant may receive any homestead rebate or credit provided by law.

(cf: P.L.1985, c.515, s.12)

      3. This act shall take effect on the January 1 next following the approval of the people of the State of New Jersey of an amendment to Article VIII, Section 1, paragraph 3 of the Constitution of the State of New Jersey which increases the property tax deduction for veterans and surviving spouses of veterans from $50 to $100.

Increases property tax deduction for certain veterans and their surviving spouses from $50 to $100.